At a time when agriculture as well as food production is being threatened by climate change, Bengaluru is set to provide a scientific road map for the country’s agriculture to become “climate smart”.
The city will host the 13th Agricultural Science Congress, which will focus on strategies for climate-smart agriculture, from February 21 to 24. The biennial event, being held for the first time in the State, is being organised by the University of Agricultural Sciences-Bengaluru in collaboration with the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
NAAS chairman S. Ayyappan told reporters that the road map to be provided by the event will look at the scenario for the next 15 years. Among other things, the focus will be on drought-proofing agricultural practises and crop patterns.
About 2,000 participants will deliberate on six thematic issues that will include adaptations to climate change, mitigating its impact, and learning from experiences of innovative farmers on tackling it. Solutions will be found to various problems faced by the agricultural sector owing to climate change, Dr. Ayyappan said.
Pointing out that India was losing crops worth around Rs. 95,000 crore a year, he said it was possible to prevent these losses by making Indian agriculture climate smart. A pilot scheme had been taken up in 100 districts of the country on mitigating the impact of climate change.
